India is set to reinforce its global leadership in traditional and integrative healthcare by hosting the 2nd World Health Organization (WHO) Global Summit on Traditional Medicine in New Delhi from December 17 to 19, 2025. The high-level international gathering will bring together policymakers, scientists, regulators, industry leaders and traditional-medicine experts from more than 100 countries to shape the future of evidence-based traditional healthcare worldwide.

The summit will be held under the theme “Restoring Balance for People and Planet: The Science and Practice of Well-Being,” positioning traditional medicine within the broader global health agenda focused on resilience, equity and sustainability. Over three days, discussions will centre on strengthening scientific evidence, improving regulatory frameworks and integrating traditional medicine into modern healthcare systems.

A key highlight of the summit will be the launch of the WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library (TMGL), the world’s most comprehensive digital repository dedicated to traditional, complementary and integrative medicine.

With more than 1.5 million records, the platform will offer global access to research evidence, policy frameworks and regulatory information from across WHO Member States. The launch of the TMGL in India underscores the country’s growing influence in advancing scientifically validated traditional medicine and strengthening global knowledge-sharing.

Traditional medicine continues to play a vital role in healthcare delivery worldwide. According to the WHO, traditional, complementary and integrative medicine is used in 170 of its 194 Member States, reflecting its deep cultural relevance and accessibility. Countries such as India, China and Japan have long-established traditional systems, while nations across Africa and the Americas are increasingly recognising and integrating these practices into their formal health systems.

In India, traditional medical systems including Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy have been deeply embedded in daily life for centuries. Under the Ministry of AYUSH, these systems are formally recognised within the public-health framework and continue to offer holistic, preventive and person-centred approaches to health and well-being. India today has one of the world’s largest traditional-medicine ecosystems, supported by thousands of hospitals and dispensaries, a vast network of educational institutions and more than 7.5 lakh registered practitioners.

Over the years, the Ministry of AYUSH has worked to integrate traditional medicine into the country’s public-health infrastructure. AYUSH services are now co-located at Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres and District Hospitals under the National AYUSH Mission, allowing patients to access traditional and modern care at the same facilities. Several major government hospitals have also established integrated AYUSH departments, reflecting a growing institutional shift towards integrative medicine.

Alongside service delivery, India has placed strong emphasis on research, regulation and quality assurance in traditional medicine. Research councils under AYUSH conduct clinical and observational studies, update pharmacopoeial standards and strengthen pharmacovigilance systems to ensure safety and efficacy. National schemes support the upgrading of hospitals and dispensaries, strengthen educational institutions and improve drug quality through enhanced regulatory oversight.

The upcoming summit will serve as a major platform for global dialogue on the future of traditional medicine. The programme will include ministerial discussions, plenary sessions and technical deliberations focused on the science of well-being, research methodologies, innovation pathways, global standards, digital health tools and responsible use of emerging technologies. The three-day event will conclude with high-level discussions on translating ancestral knowledge into accountable, people-centred healthcare practices.

The New Delhi summit aligns closely with the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, which aims to ensure universal access to safe, effective and culturally appropriate traditional healthcare. The strategy emphasises strengthening the evidence base, establishing robust regulatory frameworks, integrating traditional medicine into primary healthcare systems and promoting biodiversity conservation and protection of traditional knowledge.

India’s national priorities closely mirror this global strategy. With its strong AYUSH ecosystem, academic and research infrastructure and WHO-linked institutions such as the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar, India is well positioned to contribute meaningfully to the global roadmap for traditional medicine over the next decade.

India previously hosted the first WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, in August 2023 alongside the G20 Health Ministers’ Meeting. That landmark event culminated in the Gujarat Declaration, which reaffirmed international commitment to evidence-based traditional medicine, sustainability and equitable access, while recognising India’s leadership in shaping a holistic and scientifically aligned global health agenda.

As traditional medicine regains prominence in global health discourse, India continues to play a pivotal role in bridging ancient knowledge with contemporary science. The second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine is expected to further strengthen India’s position as a global leader in holistic healthcare, contributing to a more inclusive, sustainable and people-centred global health architecture in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.